THE destruction of 100-year-old trees which line a road in Barrowford has been described as a tragedy by residents.

Now Pendle Council is seeking an emergency tree preservation order to stop any further damage to the trees in the large back garden of a house on Gisburn Road which backs on to Ribblesdale Place and is owned by Harry Broughton.

Resident Mark Parker has lived on the road for nine years and says the trees are one of the reasons he has never moved.

But on Saturday contractors moved in and started to heavily lop some of the dozen trees which are on Mr Broughton's land next to the road and ring barked others, cut deeply into the bark all round the trunk to kill off the tree.

Mark said: "It is a tragedy. When we saw what was going on we went out and spoke to the contractors and then parked our cars underneath the trees to prevent any further work. So instead they cut round the bark which will eventually kill the tree.

"We are just outside Barrowford but you could be 100 miles away. It is totally secluded because of the trees."

Another resident Mark Wilkinson said: "It was very sad and we are going to keep local council informed of what is going on."

Chris Binney, planning officer for Pendle's environment and conservation department, said: "Two beech trees and a horse chestnut tree have been ring barked. They have also been pruned so that they are now an eyesore and out of balance with the bias towards the road."

Mr Broughton refused to comment about the incident.